Malcolm Manners, a professor at Florida Southern College (FSC), will retire after 44 years. Manners, who coordinates the citrus and horticultural science program, has been involved in the field since his youth. "My parents were always gardeners, and I've had an interest in plants my whole life," he stated.
He holds a bachelor's degree from Anderson College and further pursued a master's in fruit crops and a Ph.D. in horticultural science from the University of Florida (UF). Manners opted for teaching over research, joining FSC in 1981 due to its focus on teaching and smaller class sizes. "I wanted a place where they emphasized teaching and would have small enough class sizes that you could get to know your students," he noted.
At FSC, Manners holds the John and Ruth Tyndall Chair in Citrus Sciences and has advised the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity for over two decades. The fraternity members, many from the citrus program, assist with the campus's rose gardens, greenhouses, and citrus trees. A rose species, the Dr. Malcolm Manners Rose, was named in his honor.
Manners has been recognized with the President's Volunteer Service Award for his work with the U.S. Agency for International Development, participating in 14 missions since 1996 to improve crop production methods in developing countries. He has also led students on educational trips to various countries, including Alaska, Scotland, and South Africa.
Cody Lastinger, FSC class of 2013, remarked, "Dr. Manners has a way of guiding and teaching that makes a lasting impression that will stick with you forever." In retirement, Manners plans to focus on writing and traveling.
Source: Citrus Industry